Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 21, 1928; 4 1,659,581

F. R. WEST REFRIGERATING- APPARATUS Filed July 1926 2 hBBtS-8hest 1 INVEN TOR. i rwwl' 7c? id BY W @TORNEY.

Feb. 21, 1928. 1,659,581

F. R. WEST REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1926 2 heets-5heet Z NVENTOR. fr am? west.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1928..

R. "WEST, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A SSI'GNUIR DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A GDLRPDRATION mnionnnrruo APPAMTUfi.

.ro men raonucrs, me, or or momma,

Application as my a, me. semi at. 121,041.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus, and has to do particularly with a valve structure for controlling the inlet and outlet of the refrigerant from the compressor. v 1

Hitherto, in the domestic refrigeration art, which has advanced remarkably in the last'few years, many attempts have been made, and are constantly being made, to increase the etficiency of the present commercial refrigerating unit. Many of these attempts have been directed towards the improvement of valve structure for the compressor, but although, more or less eflicient valves have been designed and commercially utilized, the compressor has presented some very serious objections, in that the valves have been designed to give a low volumetric elficiency. A. further objection of valve structure of the prior art has been in the large amount of noise incidental to the operation of the compressor, and particularly the valves.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a valve construction for reducing, to a minimum, the noise incidental to the valve operation. This is ac-'\ complished by utilizing a relatively thick valve plate construction in combination with .a thin seat. 7

Another object of the present invention is the provision of the valve structure which is not only. 'uiet in action, but which deadens the noise 0 the compressor operation, and which is so constructed as to result in an extremely high volumetric efliciency. A further object of the present invention haste do with valve construction of such a design as to revent the valve from warping, or other 40 def hrmation, and embodying the various elements for conducting the refrigerant past the valve in the valve guide and retainer. In other words, my novel valve structure embodies a valve having very little inertia, and a valve seat being substantially noiseless and. nonwarping, and embodyin all the. complications and design in manu acture in the guide and retainer.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken thru a cylinder of a compressor embodying the various elements of my novel valve structure, and illustrating-in particu- In the manner. of reducing the waste volume formed by recessing the in the compression space to result in a relatively high volumetric efliciency.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 Fig. 1, and illustrating the exhaust or discharge valve, the manner of confinin the spring through the valve guide an the manner of embodying the serrations, or refr gerant passageways, in the guide and reta ner.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing particularly, a plan view of my novel suction valve as positioned in the piston head.

Fig.4 is a section taken on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 1, showin the simple .plain valve, and the serrations $01 conductin the refrigerant past the valve, positioned in the valve retainer.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the modified form of the cover plate.

The several parts going into the-structure of the compressor need not be referred to in detail as they are apparent from the drawings. The charge isv drawn through the orts 1, which are preferably three in numer, and then is drawn through the piston head 2 and into the space between the piston head and valve plate 3 where it 'is compressed; The compressed refrigerant is orced through the ;valve. in the plate 3 against the resistance of a space 4 above the valve plate is forced into the condenser.

The suction valve, which is preferabl located on the piston head, and which, i de' sired, can be located in any other'position, is valve structure in the head of the piston. The valve itself cornprises a simple circular valve 5 which is adapted to seat u on a seatformed'in the recessed head 2 o the piston. This piston head is relatively thick and the valve structure and seat are very thin. The cover plate, the preferred form of which is illustrated in Fig. 3, and can be de'si ated 6, is secured in a suitable recessed portion above the valve seat. This cover plate is provided with arcuate slots 7 which co-operate with semicircular serrations 8 formed in the piston head, or formed in what may be termed the valve retainer or ide. The valve 5 freely floats within the c amber formed by the serrations 8, and its u and down movement is limited by a smallalf round button or pros ring in the rom where it jection 9 positioned on the lower central side of the cover late. This pro ection serves to limit the li t of the valve from the seat and also keeps the valve from sticking to the bottom side of the cover plate if a film of oil should be present on the cover plate. This cover plate is formed practically of solid metal with the exception of the narrow slots 7 which tend to reduce ineffective clearance volume. Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of cover'plate wherein the exit of the gases is made possible by a series of holes 10 drilled in the cover plate instead of the slots 7.

A discharge valve is located in a valve plate 3 which is relatively thick. This gives a large mass of metal in the valve plate which makes it quiet and which makes it possible to absorb all the small noises which would otherwise be accentuated. This valve plateis recessed so that the seat 11 for the valve 12 is positioned almost at the bottom of the valve plate. This gives only a very small clearance volume over the piston and thus results in a high volumetric efliciency. The valve 12, being a plain circular valve,

. it not subject to any warping or uneven strain when manufactured, or from subsequent heating; the valve seat being relatively thin and being well supported by the sleeve plate is effectively prevented from warping. The valve is held to its seat by means of a very light coil spring 13, and the gases escape around the valve when raised by means of the semi-circular serrations 14:. The cover plate 15 is adapted to be secured to the upper side of the valve plate 3 and is provided with suitable serrations 16 for permitting the escape of the gases which pass up through the serrations 14-. A suitable stop screw and guide pin 17 is positioned in the cover plate 15, and is adapted to guide the coil spring 13, and also serves as a stop for the valve. This guide pin 17 is of smaller diameter than the valve, and the coil spring which it guides is also of less diameter than the valve whereby the spring will be eiiective in its action without tending to coil around, and underneath the edges of the valve 12.

By utilizing a relatively thick valve plate with a thin seat, and by utilizing a plain simple valve, and fabric all the details and complications in the cover and retainer, I have provided a valve structure which is extremely quiet in, operation, and which is also extremely efiicient in that it materially increases the volumetric efficiency of the compressor. By this particular valve structure, and the reduction of the waste volume, I have been able to increase the volumetric efficiency of the compressor from approximately to approximately 78%.

What 1' claim is:

2. In a compressor, a valve structure comprising a relatively large and solid valve head recessed to form a thin valve seat and guide, a thin circular disc valve of relatively small diameter positioned on said seat and a series of serrations formed in said guide and positioned adjacent the periphery of the valve for conducting gases past the valve when raised,

3. In a compressor, a valve structure for controlling the flow of refrigerant, comprising a valve plate shaped to form a seat, a relatively small, impertorate valve positioned on said seat, a cover plate for said valve plate, a guide, and coil spring around the guide for forcing the valve against the seat, said guideand coil spring being of smaller diameter than the valve and positioned within the thickness of the valve cage extending substantially all the way through said plate but leaving only enough' metal to form a relatively thin valve seat adjacent the edge of the plate next the piston, the large mass of metal in the valve plate absorbing the small noises and vibrations in the thin valve seat.

5. In a compressor of the pulsating iston type, a relatively thick, flat valve p ate, a

valve cage extending substantially all the way through said plate .but leaving a small amount of metal adjacent the edge of the I plate for forming a seat, the large mass of metal in the valve plate tending to absorb small noises and vibrations in the valve seat, a plain circular disk valve operatively posit oned on said seat, and serrations positioned in the walls of said cage and around the periphery of the valve.

thin a compressor valve structure, comprising a relatively large and solid valve head, a valve cage of relatively small diameter recessed within said head, an annular pro ecting thin valve seat formed within said cage, a thin plain circular disk valve operatively positioned on said annular seat, and serrations formed in the walls of said cage and extending around the valve and valve seat.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

FRANK R. WEST. 

